Back-up wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha, standby opening batsman Abhimanyu Easwaran and bowling coach Bharat Arun have been isolated after being deemed in close contact with India’sIndia’s throwdown specialist Dayananda Garani, who has tested COVID-19 positive in UK.
The BCCI confirmed the news via a statement on Thursday, stating that Garani was in the team hotel when he tested positive after a round of RT-PCR tests on July 14.
The board’sboard’s medical team identified Saha, Easwaran and Arun as those in Garani’sGarani’s close contact and thus had no option but to put them in a 10-day quarantine. During this phase, all four individuals will remain confined to their respective rooms at the team hotel in London.
The board also confirmed the positive testing of India’sIndia’s first-choice gloveman Rishabh Pant, who was proven affected by the contagious virus a week back on July 8. The BCCI said Pant is “asymptomatic and currently undergoing self-isolation at the place where he reported positive.”
The medical team is closely monitoring Pant’s recovery process, and he will be able to join the rest of the travelling Indian squad in Durham after two successive negative tests.
There were reports about the same, but the BCCI has now confirmed that the entire Indian touring contingent, including their family members, was given the second vaccination dose earlier in the month in London. Further, the tourists are going through daily Lateral Flow Tests to mitigate any risks.
Upon reaching Durham after their three-week break post the World Test Championship final against New Zealand, India will kick off their preparations for the Test series versus England with a three-day warm-up game against a County XI from Tuesday (July 20).
The match will be played at the Emirates Riverside Ground in Chester-Le-Street. The first Test against England begins on August 4 at Trent Bridge.
